Record numbers of women in state legislatures, but statewide numbers decline - November 21, 2006 - A record number of women will serve in state legislatures in 2007, according to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. At the same time, the number of women holding statewide elected executive posts will drop, due in large measure to a decrease in the number of women lieutenant governors. 

The preliminary election results indicate that a total of 1,732 women (1,179 Democrats, 540 Republicans, 2 Progressives, 1 independent, and 10 elected non-partisan) will serve in state legislatures, making up 23.5 percent of all legislators. This beats the previous record of 1,686 (22.8 percent) women state legislators set in 2006. 

In early 2007, when new officeholders are sworn in, 76 women (46 Democrats, 27 Republicans, 3 No Party) will hold statewide elective executive offices. This is a decrease from 2006, when the total number of women was 78.  While the number of women governors will increase by one, women have lost ground at the lieutenant governor level, dropping from 15 to 11.  Two women lieutenant governors, Kerry Healy (Republican) from Massachusetts and Lucy Baxley (Democrat) from Alabama, ran unsuccessfully for governor.  Mary Fallin (Republican), previously Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, successfully ran for the US House.

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